Child s carriage



(No Model.)

A. WOODWARD.

CHILD'S CARRIAGE.

No. 564,678. Patented July 28,1896.

fl7;te t. v AZLMMAM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ABNER W'OODWARD, OF SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

OH I LDS CARRIAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,678, dated July 28, 1896.

Application fl d November 11, 1895. Serial No. 568,594. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABNER WoonwARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Carriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the peculiar form of childrens carriages seen in the patents granted to me July 30, 1889, No. 407,916, and December 12, 1893, No. 510,461, and mypresent improvement comprises certain details of construction that afiord a very secure connection of the front and rear axles, and also increase the spring action of the vehicle, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the axles, braces, and supporting-frame of my improved carriage, the Wheels and body being omitted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same on a reduced scale, a body being suspended from said frame. Fig. 3 is a plan of the axles and their diagonal braces, the reaches being omitted and their position indicated by dotted lines. Fig. I is an enlarged plan of one of a pair of sectional cross-bars clamped to the supportingframe. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of a pair of spring body-loops. Figs. 6 and 7 show two modified forms of the supportingframe.

A B represent, respectively, the front and rear axles of a childs carriage, to which axles four wheels are applied in the usual manner. These axles are coupled to each other by a pair of parallel reaches 0 C and four diagonal braces, which latter are arranged thus:

D is a heavy wire or light rod extending from near the center of the running-gear out nearly to one end of the front axle A, where said rod has an eye (1 formed on it. The rod is then coiled so as to afford a spring E, is carried up at F, bent at f, and then runs horizontally at G. These parts of the rod are then duplicated at f, F, E, d, and D, it being understood that the members D d E F f G D cl E F f constitute a single rod or wire, and will hereinafter be alluded to as fact, these front and rear sections are duplicates, and can be applied indiscriminately either to the axle A or B.

g k are wooden handles, which may be applied to the front and rear frames, before the rods thereof are bent, in the manner shown, 1

or said handles may be split in longitudinal halves, and, after being fitted upon the rods G K, may be secured thereon by rings or ferrules.

L is the bottom plate of an X-shaped casting that receives the ends of the four diagonal braces D D H H, and L is a cap for said casting, these similar parts L L being fastened together by a bolt or screw 1.

Attached to the front section of the frame is a cross-bar composed of two light plates M M, secured to each other by bolts or screws m, as more clearly seen in Fig. 4:, a socket N being formed at one end of this cross-bar to admit the rod F, and another socket N being made at the opposite end of said bar to admit the rod F. Furthermore, this bar has a central socket n to receive a double-ended hook O O and the downward extension 19 of a rod P. Said bar has also a clamp n to hold an umbrella or parasol handle. This divided cross-bar is duplicated at the rear section of the frame, as seen at Q Q, q, R R, S S, and r r, the rear and downward extension 19 of the rod P being inserted within and securely held by the central socket 12 T T are metallic loops wherewith the body U of the carriage is suspended from the hooks O S, the loops being of the shape seen in Fig. 5 and usually having spring portions it, but these springs may be applied to said hooks, if desired.

0 c c c are eyes formed on the ends of the reaches 0 O to admit bolts V, that traverse said eyes and pass through theeyes d d and h h of the front and rear sections of the frame. These bolts, screws, or rivets pass also through the axles, and thereby secure the latter to the reaches and diagonal braces; but it is evident suitable clips or other convenient fasteners may be used for this purpose.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be noticed that the horizontal rods G K of the supportingframe are considerable shorter than the distance between the points d d h h where said frame is attached to the vehicle-axles. Consequently the front and rear sections of the frame are wider apart at their lower than at their upper end, and on this account there is no danger of the cross-bars M M Q Q slipping down after once being fitted in. their proper places and secured by tightening the screws m q. It is also evident that this tightening of said screws clamps the hooks O O S S and rod P p p firmly in place after they have once been properly adjusted, the rod P serving as a support for a screen or mosquito-net, and also acting as a strut that prevents the two sections of the supporting-frame being drawn toward each other when any unusual load is carried by the vehicle. Again, it is evident that by using eight springsE E I I t t t t the body U will be free from any violent jars o'r concussions, no matter how rough the road may be, and if said body should be overloaded it will simply descend and rest upon the axles and their diagonal braces.

The body-loops T T, being suspended from the hooks O S, enable the body U to have a free lateral swing, and if the carriage should be accidently upset said body will rest flatly upon the ground without injuring the occupant of the vehicle.

In the modification of my invention seen in Fig. 6 the diagonal brace H, spring I, and rod J constitute one half of the rear section of the supporting-frame, while the brace H, spring I, and rod J form the other half thereof, these two parts of said frame being united at top by a handle, (indicated by the dotted line k;) but in Fig. 7 the springs w w and diagonal braces IV IV are made out of one rod, and the springs :10 0c and diagonal braces X X. are formed from another rod, the braces being fastened together in the center when this construction of frame is mounted upon the axles.

As handles are applied both to the front and rear sections of either construction of supporting-frame, it is evident my carriage is capable of being pushed in either direction without disturbing the child or shifting any part of said frame or attachments.

Finally, my improved vehicle is capable of being used either as a carriage, cradle, or sleigh, the two sets of hooks O O and S S enabling the body to be hung either high or low, as occasion demands.

I claim as my invention- 1. A carriage-bOdy-supporting frame, including the axles A, B, a front section consisting of the diagonal braces D, D, eyes 01-, d, springs E, E, rod F, F, and connectingrod G; a rear section consisting of the diagonal braces H, H, eyes h h springs I, I, rods J, J and connecting-rod K; a center holder, as L, at the inner ends of said braces; means for attaching the eyes (1, cl, h, h, to said axles, and appliances for hanging a body from the said front and rear sections, substantially as herein described.

2. In combination with the supporting-rods F, F, of a childs carriage, the two-part crossbar M, M, united together by the fasteners m, and having sockets N, N, that grasp said rods, in the manner described.

3. The two-part cross-bar M, M, clamped to the rods F, F, and having a socket m, carrying a double-ended hook O, O, for the purpose stated.

4. The two-part cross-bar M, M, clamped to the rods F, F, and having a holder '17., for an umbrella or parasol handle.

5. A carriage-body hung from front and rear supporting-frames, each of which has a pair of integral springs between the axles and the suspension-points of said body.

6. A carriage-body hung from cross-bars vertically adjustable upon front and rear supporting-frames, each of which has a pair of integral springs between the axles and said cross-bars.

'7. A supporting-frame for a carriage-body, which frame includes a front and rear section having spring connections with the axles; vertically adjustable cross-bars carried by said sections, and a longitudinal strut adj ustably secured in said cross-bars, for the purpose described.

S. A childs carriage having a pushing-ham dle g mounted upon a rod G that connects the side rods F, F, of a supporting-frame, said rods having integral springs E, E, between said handle, and the axle of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABNER WOODWARD. \Vitnesses JEREMIAH B. COLLINS, CORNELIUS R. COLLINS. 

